The County of Dannenberg (german: Grafschaft Dannenberg) was a

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form ...

in the

Duchy of Saxony The Duchy of Saxony ( nds, Hartogdom Sassen, german: Herzogtum Sachsen) was originally the area settled by the Saxons in the late Early Middle Ages, when they were subdued by Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars from 772 and incorporated into the C ...

. Its heartland was largely identical with the present-day collective municipality of

Elbtalaue Elbtalaue is a ''Samtgemeinde'' ("collective municipality") in the district of Lüchow-Dannenberg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Its seat is in the town Dannenberg. Actually, the word "Elbtalaue" means ''Elbe valley'' and describes a spatially not sharp ...

in north

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. Its historical origins go back to the middle of the 12th century, when

Henry the Lion Henry the Lion (german: Heinrich der Löwe; 1129/1131 – 6 August 1195) was a member of the Welf dynasty who ruled as the duke of Saxony and Bavaria from 1142 and 1156, respectively, until 1180. Henry was one of the most powerful German p ...

founded the five

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Holstein Holstein (; nds, label=Northern Low Saxon, Holsteen; da, Holsten; Latin and historical en, Holsatia, italic=yes) is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is the southern half of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of German ...

Ratzeburg Ratzeburg (; Low German: ''Ratzborg'') is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is surrounded by four lakes—the resulting isthmuses between the lakes form the access lanes to the town. Ratzeburg is the capital of the district Herzogtum La ...

Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgian Low German: ''Swerin''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the capital and second-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as well as of the region of Mecklenburg, after Rostock. It ...

, Dannenberg and Lüchow during the '' Ostsiedlung'', or colonisation of the East, from the mouth of the

River Elbe The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Rep ...

to the southern border of the

March of Brandenburg The Margraviate of Brandenburg (german: link=no, Markgrafschaft Brandenburg) was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe. Brandenburg developed out o ...

, in order to protect the new regions and borders of his territory.Dr. Gehrcke: ''Die Grafen zu Lüchow''. In: ''Chronik der Stadt Lüchow''. E. Köhring. Lüchow 1949, p. 10-21. The County of Dannenberg is first mentioned in the records in 1153; its first

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, until 1169, was Volrad I of Dannenberg. He came from a

noble family Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

, the Edlers of

Salzwedel Salzwedel (, officially known as Hansestadt Salzwedel; Low German: ''Soltwedel'') is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, and has a population of approximately 21,500. Salz ...

. The county lasted until 1303, when the last count, Nicholas of Dannenberg, relinquished all his rights between the Elbe and

Jeetzel The river Jeetzel, which begins in the Altmark under the name Jeetze,Hans-Joachim Uhlemann and Martin Eckoldt, ''Kleine Nebenflüsse der Elbe oberhalb des Tidegebietes'', published in Hans-Georg Braun's 1988 ''Flüsse und Kanäle''. flows from Sa ...

rivers to

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...

Otto the Strict Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', '' Odo'', '' Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorded ...

, and it is finally mentioned in the records in 1311.Meyer (1911).

History

At that time farmers, craftsmen and artisans settled around the county castle and the village of Dannenberg emerged, although the name ''Dannenberg'' had existed previously. From 1223 to 1225 King

Valdemar II of Denmark Valdemar (28 June 1170 – 28 March 1241), later remembered as Valdemar the Victorious (), was the King of Denmark (being Valdemar II) from 1202 until his death in 1241. Background He was the second son of King Valdemar I of Denmark and Sophi ...

and his son were imprisoned by the count in the castle tower ( Valdemar Tower), still preserved today, after Henry of Schwerin had brought them here. In 1303 the last count, Nicholas, ceded the county for an annuity of 40

marks Marks may refer to: Business * Mark's, a Canadian retail chain * Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain * Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members * Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel ...

Wachter, Berndt (1983). ''Aus Dannenberg und seine Geschichte''. 2nd edition. Becker Verlag, Uelzen, 1983, pp. 15-23. to the Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg,

. From that time the former county belonged to the

Principality of Lüneburg The Principality of Lüneburg (later also referred to as Celle) was a territorial division of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg within the Holy Roman Empire, immediately subordinate to the emperor. It existed from 1269 until 1705 and its territory ...

. In 1306 the Dannenberg line died out. At the beginning of the 15th century Dannenberg was split off again as a form of compensation for the new line, but the reigning duke in Celle retained specific sovereign rights.

Coats of arms

The coat of arms of the County of Dannenberg was emblazoned with lions rampart, sometimes separate, sometimes as a facing pair. Sometimes they were also accompanied by a fir tree.''Landkreis Lüchow-Dannenberg - Informationen zum Kreiswappen''
The earliest known county

seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...

that has been preserved shows a right-facing lion rampant and dates to the year 1215. It belonged to Volrad II. Whether this symbol is meant to indicate the relationship of the county to Henry the Lion is not clear. The upright lion is depicted as a

charge Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * '' Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * ''Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...

in all coats of arms, which was constantly changed by the counts to distinguish between themselves. A fir tree as a further figure was added by Adolf I, Count of Dannenberg from 1245. Two facing lions were first depicted in the seal of Bernard II, Count of Dannenberg about 1283–1293. The symbols of the counts of Dannenberg have been preserved to this day. Lions and fir trees form part of the coats of arms of the town of Dannenberg (Elbe), the former

Dannenberg (Elbe) collective municipality Dannenberg may refer to: Places * Dannenberg (Elbe), a town in Germany * County of Dannenberg, a medieval fief founded by Henry the Lion * Dannenberg, Pommern, German name of Domysłów Domysłów (german: Dannenberg) is a village in the admini ...

and the former district of Dannenberg. The coats of arms of the district of

Lüchow-Dannenberg Lüchow-Dannenberg is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany, which is usually referred to as Hanoverian Wendland (''Hannoversches Wendland'') or Wendland. It is bounded by (from the west and clockwise) the districts of Uelzen and Lüneburg and the s ...

show a fir tree next to the three lozenges of the old County of Lüchow. File:DEU Dannenberg (Elbe) COA.png, Coat of arms of the town of Dannenberg (Elbe). File:Wappen Samtgemeinde dannenberg.png, Coat of arms of the former collective municipality of Dannenberg (Elbe). File:Wappen Kreis Dannenberg mod.jpg, Coat of arms of the former district of Dannenberg. File:Wappen Landkreis Lüchow-Dannenberg.svg, Coat of arms of the district of Lüchow-Dannenberg.

Family tree

# Volrad I, from the House of Edler from Salzwedel, brother of Frederick of Salzwedel, first Count of Dannenberg, recorded as Count of Dannenberg 1153–1166, but probably ruled 1145–1169 ## Henry I, 1169–1209 Count of Dannenberg ### Volrad II, probably died in 1226 in battle against

Valdemar II Valdemar (28 June 1170 – 28 March 1241), later remembered as Valdemar the Victorious (), was the King of Denmark (being Valdemar II) from 1202 until his death in 1241. Background He was the second son of King Valdemar I of Denmark and Soph ...

near

Rendsburg Rendsburg ( da, Rendsborg, also ''Rensborg'', nds, Rendsborg, also ''Rensborg'') is a town on the River Eider and the Kiel Canal in the central part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the capital of the ''Kreis'' (district) of Rendsburg-Ecke ...

, 1207–1226 Count of Dannenberg; married Jutta of Wölpe, third daughter of Count Bernard II of Wölpe #### Henry III, 1233–1237 Count of Dannenberg ### Henry II, 1203–1236 Count of Dannenberg; married ''daughter of''

Adolf III of Holstein Adolf III, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein (1160 – 3 January 1225) was the ruler of the Counties of Schauenburg and Holstein. He is particularly remembered for his establishment of a new settlement for traders on the banks of the Alster near t ...

#### Bernard I, probably died 1266/67, in 1276 recorded as dead, 1227–1266 Count of Dannenberg; married the Countess of Schwerin ##### Henry V, died before 1303, also described as Count of

Grabow Grabow () is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Elde, 7 km (4.35 mi) southeast of Ludwigslust, and 34 km (21.12 mi) northwest of Wittenberge. It ...

, Count of Dannenberg about 1273–75 ##### Adolf II, died before 1303, also described as Count of

Dömitz Dömitz () is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, 25 km southwest of Ludwigslust, and 37 km northwest of Wittenberge Wittenberg ...

, Count of Dannenberg about 1273 ###### Volrad IV, last recorded mention 1306 ###### John, died before 1306 ###### ''son'' ##### Bernard II, died before 1303, Count of Dannenberg about 1283–1293 ##### Gunzel ##### Nicholas, Count of Dannenberg about 1289–1303, last Count of Dannenberg 1303, last recorded mention 1311 ##### ''daughter''; married John

Gans zu Putlitz The Gans Edle Herren zu Putlitz (Edle Herren = noble lords, until 1919 a title, it became a part of the official surname with the transformation of most noble titles into surname elements to be ignored at alphanumerical sorting) is a German Germa ...

#### Adolf I, died 1266/67, 1245–1266 Count of Dannenberg; married Matilda who died about 1259 ##### Volrad III ##### Frederick, Count of Dannenberg about 1274–1285 ##### Bernard III ##### ''daughter''; married Helmhold III of Schwerin ##### Matilda, nun in St. Lorenz Abbey,

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river. Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebu ...

##### ''daughter'' #### Henry IV,

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western ca ...

#### Gerburge #### Sophia

References

Most of the information in this article comes from '' Geschichte der Grafen von Ratzeburg und Dannenberg'' (Meyer (1911) below). In addition, the following references are used:

Sources

* Meyer, Dr. Wilhelm (1911).
Geschichte der Grafen von Ratzeburg und Dannenberg
', Schwerin, 1911. In:
Jahrbuch des Vereins für Mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde
'. Vol. 76. Bärensprungsche Hofbuchdruckerei, Schwerin, 1911. * Wachter, Berndt (1983). ''Aus Dannenberg und seiner Geschichte'', 2nd edition, Becker Verlag, Uelzen, 1983. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dannenberg Counties of the Holy Roman Empire Former states and territories of Lower Saxony Former states and territories of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Duchy of Saxony Medieval Germany